Thousands of nurses - including many across Greater Manchester - have walked out today for what are among the first strikes in the Royal College of Nursing's 106-year history.
Now, one nurse has shared a heartfelt personal message to the public and government, explaining why she is joining the picket line. Charlotte Barker, a staff nurse at an endoscopy unit in Leigh, working for Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, says NHS staff like her can no longer provide safe care as underfunding and understaffing has been chronic for years.
Charlotte has shared with the Manchester Evening News why she is joining the historic strikes. She paints a picture of dwindling staff struggling to make ends meet amid an enduring pay row with the government, unable to help patients who are suffering the consequences of declining care standards.
'It’s unsafe to practise as nurses with the levels of care we’re giving at the moment'
“We are taught that we are our patients’ advocates from the moment we start our training to the moment we leave it as fully qualified nurses. Even as we’re striking, we are still our patients’ advocates - we know that it’s unsafe to practise as nurses with the levels of care we’re giving at the moment.
“We make really difficult decisions every day for patients, this is another one. The decision to strike is not one we’ve taken lightly, it’s not been taken quickly, it is one that has been taken after so many years of underfunding and understaffing.
“It’s been taken with a heavy heart and it’s a call to the government to say ‘please listen to us, listen to the reasons why we’re doing this’. It’s a plea.
'We have had to go to extremes, working extra shifts, going without food'
“We cannot undertake the care patients want us to and the care at the standards that we want to deliver to our patients anymore. We’re acting on behalf of the patients and nurses of today and tomorrow.
“We deserve more, as do our patients. We have had to deal with substandard pay awards for far too long - we have had to go to extremes, working extra shifts, going without food.
“I’m sure that’s not the image patients want to see when they’re coming into hospital. If we can’t live properly, how can we go to patients and give them the care standards they require?
Thousands of nurses leaving
“If our pay had gone up with inflation over the last 10 years, we wouldn’t have to ask for this large lump of what we’re entitled to. Nothing has changed in the last 10 years and now we’re losing so many staff members.
“25,000 nurses left the register last year. I’ve worked for the NHS for over 10 years, most nurses - most nurses then would want to come back and give a bit more. That’s not the case now, they are just demoralised and want to leave.
'A last resort'
“We completely and utterly feel exactly the same [as patients who are frustrated and worried by strikes]. Understandably patients will be frustrated, upset and angry - there are services still running.
“I don’t know anyone who was balloted for this that sat down and immediately said yes. This is a last resort, we all want to get back to work and care for our patients.
“I want to do my job. I don’t want to standing outside fighting for my role. But we are doing it for your best interests so we can provide care safely.”
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